Indian Premier League (IPL) has become a craze among cricket lovers, not only in India but also in other countries where cricket is popularly played. One reason for the Indian Premier League is one of the most loved cricket tournaments in the world is that players from different countries play together. While the Indian Premier League is a tournament that was started in India, the different IPL teams or IPL squads have players from different parts of the world. IPL is also a symbol of integration that denotes that no boundaries matter when the soul is united by one factor; here, that factor is a sport.
There are various players in different IPL teams worldwide who made long-lasting impressions through their performances in different IPL seasons so far. Here we are going to take a deeper look at some of the best players in the history of IPL who have scored high and made a mark for themselves. The list is based on the overall stats of all the players in various IPL seasons to date.
- Dwyane Bravo
The West Indies all-rounder, who is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler, is one of the best players in IPL history. Bravo was initially the part of Mumbai Indians, i.e., in the first three seasons of the Indian Premier League, but later was brought by MI’s arch-rival Chennai Super Kings. A death over specialist, an outstanding finisher, and one of the most reliable fielders, Bravo came into the limelight when he scored excellent while playing for CSK.
Bravo was also picked up by Gujarat Lions ahead of IPL 2016. But he again went back to Chennai Super Kings in 2018 IPL auctions. He has since then been a part of CSK and has proved to be an asset to the team. Bravo has played 140 innings in all the IPL seasons so far and has scored 1490 runs. As far as his bowling skills are concerned, Bravo has taken 153 wickets. Bravo has an average of 24.81 and an SR of 17.72. Looking at this excellent record so far, Dwyane Bravo can surely be called an asset to the teams he has played for so far.
- AB de Villiers
There is no doubt about the fact that AB de Villiers is one of the best cricketers in the world. There is nothing we can not expect AB de Villiers to do on the cricket field. Mr 360 has the ability to bat in all directions and dispatch the ball to all parts of the field. The South-African WK-batsman, who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm medium, de Villiers is currently a part of Royal Challenger Bangalore. The team led by Virat Kohli has witnessed AB de Villiers contributing to quite an extent for its wins so far in IPL.
Having played 169 matches in all the IPL tournaments to date, de Villiers has made a record 4849 runs with a striking rate of 151.91. AB de Villers has proved to be one of the most successful batsmen of the IPL tournaments. Initially being a part of Delhi Daredevils (2008-2010), de Villiers then got picked up by RCB and has since then performed destructive batting against the bowlers.
- Virat Kohli
While up until 2016, Virat Kohli did not perform up to the mark in the IPL tournaments he had played till then, it was the year 2016 that marked Kohli’s comeback in the tournament and how. The India right-handed batsman, who also is a right-arm medium-pace bowler, gave a mind-numbing performance in the IPL 2016 tournament. Having scored a total of 973 runs, including four centuries and seven half-centuries in IPL 2016; the 9th season of the Indian Premier League, Kohli shocked the world. No one would actually believe Kohli’s dominance in the IPL began recently in 2016.
Virat Kohli has proved to be an asset to Royal Challengers Bangalore and has had a major contribution to the team’s overall performances in different IPL seasons. In all the 192 matches that he has played so far in all the IPL seasons combined, the current Indian Skipper has made a collective of 5878 runs. Kohli has 39 IPL half-centuries and 5 IPL centuries on his name with an amazing striking rate of 130.73. Kohli is currently serving as the captain of RCB.
- Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle has had an interesting journey in the Indian Premier League tournaments. After failing to give any noteworthy performance in the first few IPL seasons, Gayle was eventually released from the league. In fact, Gayle could not play in the inaugural game of the Indian Premier League in 2008 when he was brought by Kolkata Knight Riders that year. But he changed his fate and made history after he was picked up by the RCB in 2011.
Gayle performed impressively for Royal Challengers Bangalore up until 2017. Gayle, in fact, hit the maximum number of sixes, 59 in the IPL 2012 season. Further for scoring 733 runs in 14 matches, Gayle also got the nomination for the Orange Cap. Gayle has played 132 IPL matches so far and has scored 4772 runs with an outstanding SR of 150.11. The West-Indian all-rounder, left-handed batsman, and right arm-off spin bowler will play for Punjab Kings in the 2021 IPL (the 14th season of the Indian Premier League).
- David Warner
The Australian left-handed batsman, who also is a right-arm leg-spin bowler, needs no introduction. Warner is a completely different player when it comes to the Indian Premier League tournaments. Initially, Warner was a part of Delhi Daredevils (now known as Delhi Capitals). But Sunrisers Hyderabad picked him up in the 2014 IPL 2014 auctions for a whopping price of $880,000.
The cricket beast had won orange caps in the 2015, 2017, and 2019 IPL seasons. Warner made 126 scores in the 2017 IPL season against Kolkata Knight Riders, thereby making this third century in the Indian Premier League. In all the 142 IPL matches that Warner has played, he has remarkably scored 5254 runs. This includes four centuries and 48 half-centuries. David Warner is currently the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
This was our list of the best IPL players who have played remarkably well in all the IPL seasons to date and have proved to be an asset for their teams. Who is your favorite player?
